Dewayne Chasten of Magnolia started his weekend on a high note after winning the first top prize of $200,000 in the new Red Hot Slots game.
Chasten bought the lucky $5 ticket at the Express Mart on Mallard Street in Kenansville.
He claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, Chasten took home $139,003.
The scratch-off game launched on August 1 with four top prizes of $200,000. Three top prizes remain.
Ticket sales from instant games like Red Hot Slots make it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion dollars a year for education. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in Duplin County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.